Sign of the times…

Using ASL in your Childcare Centers

Now your childcare center has the opportunity to enhance revenues and strengthen its competitive position by developing your reputation as a signing resource in your area. The Northlight Childcare Advantage Program (NCAP) was designed and developed for childcare centers that recognize the significant benefits obtained by incorporating an American Sign Language (ASL) program into their regular curriculum. NCAP gives you the resources, tools and support to facilitate a quality signing program, utilizing the products and services of Sign2Me®.

Incorporating signs into your program does not require learning all of American Sign Language. Educators use simple signs like "More," "Eat," and "Milk," while they speak to their children. By reinforcing key spoken words with signs, educators provide children with messages both aurally and visually, helping to focus a child’s attention while strengthening that child’s understanding of words and concepts.

Why use ASL signs?

● Builds common foundation for third most popular language in the U.S.

● Reduces noise levels

● Minimizes stress and frustration for children and staff

● Significantly reduces aggression, biting, and hitting problems

● Demonstrates that your facility promotes child development

● Accelerates verbal communication

● Improves integration amongst diverse populations

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What are the benefits of an NCAP membership?

● Members-only product discounts on the products produced by Sign2Me®

● Special Getting Started package

● Access to marketing tools and materials

● Web site listing of your center(s) in the Northlight Childcare Facilities Locator

● Cooperative marketing funds and rebates

● Access to our Presenters Network to assist you in training staff and families

● Opportunities to participate in special promotions throughout the year

● Potential opportunities to better test new products before their release

Insights from Early Childhood Educators

 © Copyright 2008 Northlight commnications

Over the years, teachers have shared with us their joys of signing with the children in their care. Here are some of the most frequent comments we hear.

• Signing empowers children because they can communicate successfully with those around them. This sense of empowerment significantly contributes to babies’ happiness.

• Children spend less time crying and teachers spend less time playing "the guessing game," allowing more time for positive interaction.

• Signing enhances early language skills because children can engage in two-way conversations with their teachers and their peers at an earlier age.

• Signing serves as a "language bridge" for children and staff who speak different languages-the sign is the same for eat (English) as it is comer (Spanish).

• Children learn to use signs to solve problems. STOP and SHARE are commonly used signs that help children learn to get along with one another.

• In signing classrooms, teachers report that there are fewer instances of biting and screaming because children are less frustrated.

• Children can control the topic of conversation and express their unique interests at an earlier age. This allows teachers to design learning activities that will enhance their children’s specific interests.

• Signing adds fun to daily routines and circle time and music activities.

• Signing facilitates home-school communication and helps parents get more involved in preschool curriculum in a more meaningful way.

• Signing is appropriate for all preschool age groups (infants, toddlers, preschool, Pre-K) and it facilitates visual/kinesthetic learning.

• The use of signs in the classroom creates opportunities for children with special needs to interact in a more meaningful way with other children their age.

• Preschool-aged children use signs to help them understand and identify their emotions.

Research shows that integrating the use of sign language into a preschool curriculum enhances literacy skills needed for school success: reading, vocabulary, and spelling. A summary of this research can be found in Marilyn Daniels’ book Dancing with Words.

Videos of signing preschoolers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_H46DaMOmY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2yIhGNfHEU